Dr. Alex Otti, Abia State governorship candidate on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for pledging to reprint the burnt Permanent Voter Cards that were destroyed by fire last week.
Otti spoke through his campaign office on Thursday in a statement signed by Max Nduaguibe, the Director General, Alex Otti Campaign.
The organisation said: “The Alex Otti Campaign Organisation has received with relief news of promise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reprint copies of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) destroyed in last Sunday’s fire incident that gutted the INEC new office in Umu-Ikaa, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area, Abia State.
“We commend the INEC for promptly rising up to the occasion and not allowing agents of darkness and retrogression, whose only desire is to scuttle the wishes and aspirations of the good people of Abia State, by denying them the opportunity to exercise their right to vote for their preferred candidates, in the forth-coming elections.”
Nduaguibe added: “While we laud INEC’s decision to reprint the burnt PVCs, we also urge the commission to ensure that owners of such PVCs are adequately sensitized and encouraged to come forth and collect their cards, in order to have the opportunity to contribute to the development of the democratic process in the country.
“We also advise the electoral body to work closely with the security agencies to ensure that maximum protection is accorded the various INEC facilities across the Federation, Abia State in particular, to forestall a reoccurrence of the sort, as witnessed in Umu-Ikaa.
“We wish to restate that the burning of the INEC office at Umu-Ikaa is part of a wider design by enemies of Abia State, in power, to intimidate the opposition parties, especially APGA, which they dread as the greatest threat to their continued hold on power, in the state.
“We would like to state unequivocally that APGA as a party and the Alex Otti Campaign Organisation are resolute and cannot be intimidated by any group or party, including the incumbent PDP government in Abia State. We may have left behind us the sad event of 2015, when the mandate freely given to us by the Abia people was stolen by the PDP, but like our principal, Dr. Alex Otti, has said repeatedly, whoever attempts to rig the 2019 election in Abia State, will not be alive to see the result of his or her action.
“The INEC authority should resist every attempt by the PDP-led government in Abia State to force the relocation of the INEC office back to the premises of the Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area headquarters at Umuoba, as such would provide a veritable ground for the PDP to execute their sordid plan to rig the elections in that locality.
“Finally, we call on the security agencies, especially the Police, to fish out those behind the razing of the Umu-Ikaa INEC office and prosecute them, in line with due process and if found guilty, pay for their indiscretion.”